Garment



Mardi 4, 1947. H C, LALLMANG 2,416,930

GARMENT Filed oct. 2o, 194:5

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 4, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT Howard C. Lallmang, Eggertsville, N. Y. Application October 20, 1943, Serial No. 507,000

This invention relates to garments for men, and more particularly to an undershirt which also acts as a suspensory. Heretofore garments of this type have been unsatisfactory for many reasons, such as because to be effective at all, they had to be accurately tted. both around the body and as to length. Straps also had to be adjusted. This would require a large number of varied sizes to be carried in stock, and such prior garments when worn were uncomfortable, gave inadequate support, and failed to give freedom of movement to the body.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved, combined undershirt and suspensory, which will always be comfortable to the wearer and allow for freedom of his bodily movements, which will fit persons of varying sizes and proportions so that only the usual sizes of knit undershirts need be carried by dealers in order to t all customers, which will be free of adjustlng straps, belts and cords, and which will be relatively simple, practical and inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a garment constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3- is a sectional elevation of the lower part of said garment, the section being taken approximately along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the garment is an undershirt I El of knit material, formed of a knit stitch which enables the garment to stretch elastically in a direction around the body and also lengthwise. The flat knit type of knitted garment, which is used extensively in so-called fleece-lined underwear, is not Very satisfactory for combined undershirts and suspensories because it has little or no stretch in any direction and will not conform readily to and form-fit the body of the wearer. It tends to hang straight and loosely about the body and will not conform appreciably to undulations in the body beneath it. Knit underwear of the type formed with a latch needle or rib needle, and which is variously called rib knit, swiss knit, and spring needle knit fabrics, is an example of knit fabrics, that stretch substantially and are elastic sufliciently to return to normal contracted con- 1 Claim. (Cl. 12S-159) dition when released. These freely stretchable knit fabrics are preferred as the material of the undershirt and insert, and the stitch is such that the garment will stretch very decidedly in a direction around the body and to some substantial extent lengthwise, yet is suiciently elastic to tend to return to its normal unstretched condition when free to do so. It will conform freely to local undulations of the surface of the body beneath it, or, as it is sometimes stated, it formts the body. This garment preferably has a uniform length around the lower edge II of the garment, and is long enough to fit well down upon the hips, nearly to the lowest part of the scrotum.`

This undershirt has a notch formed in its lower, central front extending upwardly a substantial distance of not less than about four inches, and preferably about six inches from its lower edge. Applied across this notch and stitched along its periphery to the undershirt is an insert I2, somewhat resembling a gusset, of pre-formed or separately formed fabric, with an outwardly cupped fullness, particularly in its lower central area. This insert I2 is horizontally about as wide as it is long vertically, and has an overlap type of ily opening I3 for approximately its full length or the major part of its length, such as is usually found in mens union suits and shorts.

The insert preferably has downwardly convergent side edges I4 leading to an approximate point I5 at the lowest part of the insert, and the sides of the notch along the edges I4 may advantageously be pulled together slightly along the lower edge of the garment, before the edges I4 are secured to the undershirt around and at opposite sides of the notch, so that the lower point I5 of the insert will normally lie slightly nearer to the rear of the garment than would the corresponding point of the undershirt when f no notch is formed, as shown in Fig. 3. The vinsert fully closes the notch.

While the insert may be formed of any fabric which has the cupped fullness, it preferably is also formed of knit material of the same type as that of the undershirt, so that it may stretch substantially and conform freely to any part of the body beneath it. It preferably has its maximum stretch horizontally. The insert I2, because of its cupped fullness and the slight or small contraction of the lower edge II of the garment, forms a pocket adapted to receive and support the scrotum of the wearer, the weight of which is thus carried from the shoulders through the garment. Since the shirt is made 3 of freely stretchable and slightly elastic knit material, the body may bend and flex freely while supporting the scrotum comfortably. The ability o f the knit material to stretch both laterally or around the body as Well as lengthwise makes a given size of garment capable of tting persons varying quite a little in breadth and length of trunk, Without discomfort to the wearer. Hence .these garments varying only according to theV usual sizes lof undershirts may be stocked by dealers, and yet a size may be selected to fit almost any normal customer. It will also .be noted that the garment is free of strings, cords, belts, straps and the like that would need vacljusting individually by the customer, and there v is nothing that has to be removed before the garment is laundered. The 'usual shorts may be worn with this garment in the usual manner.

It will be understood that within the broadest conception of the invention, the pocket may be .formed separately, o'r Aas an integral part 'of ,the undershirt. For example, the undershirt'may be 'knit with 'the cupped fullness Vf'orn'ling the 'pneket integral vwith the rest of the undershirt, or 'the 'pocket may be formed in `an ordinary Aundershirt nf rib or stretchable knit 'material by 'gathering `together Y'by tucks a short stretch of .lower edge :of the'undershirt ,in the front zone. The pocket produced by the separately formed insert appears lat present tobe the construction most .practical vand `commercially feasible.

.lt will be `understood that various ehanges in the materials, details :and arrangements of parts,

"which have .been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention,

,may 'be made by those skilled in theart, within 'the 'principle and 'scope `of the invention, as expressed in the appended claim.

. substantial ovate shape in its lower central front extending from the lower edge o1 the undershirt `upwardly va substantial distan-ce, an insert cf preformed knit material stretchable substantially in a direction around the body and larger than the cut-out portion and of substantially the same v'configuration andsecured across and closing said notch and having an outwardly cupped fullness 'in its 'center and of a size to adequately receive and support the scrotum of the wearer and pro- 1 Y vided with a .fly opening in the approximate center-of said insert, said insert having its lower edge at the center extended rearwardly of the central :portion of its upperedge, whereby the insert forms' a pocket for receiving and 'supporting the scrotum of the wearer.

.HOWARD o. LALLMANG.

REFERENCES CITED The vfollowing references Yare of record in the iile of this patent: Y

UNITED nSTATES PATENTS Number Name Y Date V1,016,625 Harper eb.V `6, 1912V .1,200,969 OShea l Oct.' 110, '19-1'6 ,1,592,732 Friedman r J uly13, i926 1,989,040 Gingrich W Jan. 22, 1935 McDonald v-. June'27, '1939 

